The story of the little black dress.

Every woman has a secret weapon in their fashion arsenal - the little black dress. Long considered an essential for every woman’s wardrobe, the LBD was created by none other than Coco Chanel. In 1926, Chanel’s simple and chic black, calf length dress graced the pages of Vogue. The magazine called it Chanel’s Ford”.

Before Chanel, black was only worn by widowers. It was considered distasteful, for black dresses to be worn at celebratory social gatherings. With all the deaths claimed by World War I and the Spanish Influenza, black dresses became more commonplace. With the Great Depression, black dresses became a sign of economic hardships. But in the 1950s, Dior revitalized the little black dress. By the 60s, the LBD was firmly planted on a pedestal with no hint or whisper of ever stepping down. The dress no longer held the sorrowful significance of its dark past. During 70s, 80s and 90s, the little black dress continued its reign.

As sure of its appeal today as Chanel was eighty years ago, the Little Black Dress is a timeless classic. Many designers today are working with richer, textural fabrics like velvet and lace – breathing new life into this forever fashionable tradition.